Phones · 2025 · Apple

Apple iPhone 17

The iPhone 17 is Apple’s base iPhone for the 2025 generation: a 6.3-inch 120 Hz ProMotion OLED display, the A19 chip, two 48 MP rear cameras and an 18 MP Center Stage front camera. The display has Always-On and a 3,000-nit outdoor peak; wireless connectivity is handled by Apple’s N1 chip (Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6). The USB-C port stays at USB 2 speed for data transfer. In the first months some owners complained about Wi-Fi dropping when unlocking the phone, and one thread after iOS 26.3 about overheating.

A3520 · 256 GB, 512 GB; Black, White, Mist Blue, Sage, Lavender. The A3520 on Apple Support’s UK page uses nano-SIM and eSIM; the SIM layout can vary by country.

Specifications

SpecificationValue
Display6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED; 2622 × 1206, 460 ppi; ProMotion up to 120 Hz; Always-On

ProMotion adjusts the refresh rate to the content: 120 Hz smoothness when scrolling, lower rates on still images to save battery. The Always-On display shows the time and notifications dimmed while locked. Because of the rounded corners, the visible area is slightly smaller than the rectangle measurement.

Brightness and contrast1,000 nits typical, 1,600 nits HDR, 3,000 nits outdoor peak; 1 nit minimum; 2,000,000:1 contrast

3,000 nits is a short peak in strong sunlight, not sustained full-screen brightness. The 1-nit minimum aims to avoid eye strain in a dark room. The screen has anti-reflective and oleophobic coatings.

Build and glassAluminium design; Ceramic Shield 2 front, colour-infused glass back

According to Apple, the colour-infused back glass is used on Black, Mist Blue, Sage and Lavender.

Water and dust resistanceIP68 (IEC 60529; up to 6 metres for 30 minutes)

Apple notes that this resistance is not permanent, may decline with normal wear, and that liquid damage is not covered by the warranty.

ChipA19; 6-core CPU (2 performance, 4 efficiency), 5-core GPU with Neural Accelerators, 16-core Neural Engine

The GPU supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing; the Neural Accelerators speed up AI work inside the GPU.

Storage256 GB or 512 GB

There is no memory card slot.

Rear cameras48 MP Fusion Main (26 mm, ƒ/1.6, sensor-shift OIS) and 48 MP Fusion Ultra Wide (13 mm, ƒ/2.2, 120°); 12 MP 2× (52 mm) from the main sensor

The 2× image comes from the centre of the 48 MP main sensor rather than a separate telephoto lens; the optical-quality zoom range is 4× in total, with digital zoom up to 10×. The ultra wide camera also takes 48 MP macro photos.

Video4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode 4K at 30 fps; Action mode 2.8K at 60 fps; 1080p slo-mo at 120/240 fps; Dual Capture up to 4K at 30 fps

Dual Capture records with the front and rear cameras at the same time. Action mode strongly stabilises footage shot while walking or running.

Front camera18 MP Center Stage, ƒ/1.9, autofocus with Focus Pixels; video up to 4K Dolby Vision at 60 fps

Center Stage automatically adjusts the framing to the people in photos and video calls; the TrueDepth system for Face ID works with this camera.

Battery and chargingUp to 30 hours of video playback; 50% in 20 minutes with a 40 W or higher USB-C adapter; wireless up to 25 W with MagSafe and Qi2

25 W wireless charging needs a 30 W or higher adapter; no adapter is included. Battery life varies with Apple’s test conditions, network and settings.

USB-CCharging, DisplayPort and USB 2 (up to 480 Mb/s)

Wired data transfer is limited to USB 2 speed, so moving large video files takes time. USB-C can output to an external display at up to 4K HDR.

WirelessApple N1: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) 2×2, Bluetooth 6, Thread; second-generation Ultra Wideband; NFC with reader mode

Thread provides low-power mesh connectivity with smart-home devices. Ultra Wideband helps locate devices such as AirTag by direction and distance; availability varies by country.

Cellular and SIM5G (sub-6 GHz, 4×4 MIMO), Gigabit LTE; nano-SIM and eSIM, dual eSIM support

Emergency SOS and Roadside Assistance via satellite are offered depending on country; Crash Detection is included.

LocationDual-frequency GPS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou, NavIC); digital compass
ButtonsAction button and Camera Control

The Action button can be set to functions such as silent mode, torch, translate or a shortcut. Camera Control is a touch-sensitive button that adjusts exposure, depth and zoom by sliding.

Dimensions and weight149.6 × 71.5 × 7.95 mm; 177 g
In the boxiPhone 17 and 1 m USB-C Charge Cable

No power adapter or EarPods are included.

From the manufacturer

Apple presents the iPhone 17 as a powerful base model with a ProMotion and Always-On display, Ceramic Shield 2 front glass, the A19 chip and a 48 MP Dual Fusion camera system. Apple Support

Strengths and limitations

  • In tech YouTuber Mrwhosetheboss’s everyday-use test in a 16 °C room, mixing YouTube, social media, music and 4K 60 fps video recording, the iPhone 17 lasted 10 hours 28 minutes: about 40 minutes longer than the iPhone 16 and 20 minutes shorter than the iPhone 17 Pro (10 h 48 min). Physical-SIM UK units were used, so the battery difference of eSIM models was not tested.

    TechRepublic summary of Mrwhosetheboss’s battery test, 19 February 2026; single test, single sample; screen brightness not stated.

    TechRepublic: iPhone 17 battery test, real-world results challenge Apple’s big claims

  • In the first weeks of sales, users on Reddit, the MacRumors forums and Apple Community reported that on all new models, including the iPhone 17, Wi-Fi briefly dropped and reconnected after unlocking the phone; for some, a connected and unlocked Apple Watch seemed to be the trigger. One user wrote that the problem stopped with the iOS 26.1 beta. Apple had not commented at the time of the report.

    TechRadar report, 23 September 2025; user reports compiled by MacRumors; prevalence unknown, status in later iOS versions not verified.

    TechRadar: Some early iPhone 17 users are experiencing intermittent Wi-Fi problems

Owner experiences and issues

  • On Apple Community, an iPhone 17 owner wrote that after iOS 26.3 the phone heated up and drained quickly in everyday apps such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and WhatsApp; the problem continued on 26.3.1. About five people in the thread, including iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max owners, describe similar heating. One user said erasing and setting up as a new device fixed it and blamed a third-party app; another said turning off Optimized Charging stopped the heat while charging. There is no confirmed fix.

    Apple Community thread, March–August 2026; iOS 26.3/26.3.1; some posters use other iPhone models, “me too” clicks were not counted as separate evidence.

    Apple Community: iPhone 17 overheat problem after 26.3

Tags

2025APPLEIOSA19PROMOTIONWi-Fi 7ESIM

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Sources

  1. Apple Support: iPhone 17 – Tech Specs
  2. TechRepublic: iPhone 17 battery test, real-world results challenge Apple’s big claims
  3. TechRadar: Some early iPhone 17 users are experiencing intermittent Wi-Fi problems
  4. Apple Community: iPhone 17 overheat problem after 26.3